1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spinning reel, and more particularly to a spinning reel comprising a spool rotatably supported by a spool shaft for imparting a braking force to rotation of the spool wherein the braking force is adjustable.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An example of the spinning reels of the above type is shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 52-26469, which generally includes an inner hollow portion in a center portion of a front face of the spool, and a plurality of drag members provided in the inner hollow portion for imparting the braking force to rotation of the spool. To an extreme end of the spool shaft is screwed an adjusting member for adjusting the braking force having a pressing portion for axially pressing the drag members and a larger diameter portion extending radially outwardly of the pressing portion to oppose to the front face of the spool. Rotation of the adjusting member axially presses the drag members thereby to adjust the braking force to be imparted to rotation of the spool. A forwardly projecting front jaw is provided in an outer periphery of a front flange of the spool for guiding a fishing line.
However, the spinning reel, when using as attached to a fishing rod, has the spool positioned close to a tip of the rod relative to a reel body. As a result, when crossing the ocean by boat or fishing on the boat, if the waves or rain splashes on the spinning reel attached to a standing rod, a problem occurs that water is gathered in the front face of the spool and enters the inner hollow portion to wet the drag members. In order to solve this problem, Japanese Utility Model Application "Kokai" No. 63-68773 provides an annular sealing member having a lip portion attached to one of the drag members opposing to the adjusting member thereby to prevent the drag members from getting wet when water splashes on the reel. However, this kind of reel is disadvantageous in that the required elements are inevitably increased in number due to the provision of the sealing member, which results in the complicated structure and high manufacturing cost. Furthermore, the sealing member affects the braking force to a great extent, which does not permit the braking force to be smoothly changed.
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing drawbacks, and an object thereof is to provide a spinning reel capable of reliably preventing the drag members from getting wet by simply modifying part of the spool and the adjusting member without exerting any baneful influence upon the braking force due to the provision of the anti-wet means.